Automatic mooring catch



April 2, 1963 H. w. ANDERSEN AUTOMATIC MOORING CATCH Filed Oct. 16, 1959INVENTOR M 14/. MAM) B M r /M ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,083,676AUTOMATIC MOORING CATCH Harold W. Andersen, 532 Manhasset Woods Road,Manhasset, N.Y. Filed fict. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 846,926 2 Claims. (Cl.114-430) This invention relates to an automatic mooring catch, designedto be mounted on a boat for facilitating the initial pick-up of amooring float.

An object of the invention is to provide means whereby a vertical rodprojecting up from the top of a mooring float can be firmly caught andengaged by a catch fixed on the hull of the boat merely by maneuveringthe boat in a suitable simple manner. From this statement it will beunderstood that the operator of the boat need not leave his normalposition (e.g., in the cockpit) until the engagement of the rod by thecatch has been completed. When that has been done the operator can goforward to pull up the mooring float and make fast the boat to itsmooring with the assurance that no further maneuvering of the boat willbe needed.

A further object is to provide a mooring catch which is permanentlyfixed to the boat adjacent the rub rail and is adjustable between ahorizontally projecting operating position and a pushed down off orretracted position.

Another object is to provide various improvements in the form,construction and arrangement of the several parts whereby theabove-named and other objects may effectively be attained.

A practical embodiment of the invention as applied, for example, to apower boat of the cruiser type, is shown in the accompanying drawings,in which:

FIG. 1 represents a bow View of a boat equipped with the mooring catchapproaching a mooring float in a manner to cause engagement of the catchwith a rod on the float.

FIG. 2 represents a perspective view of the catch from forward andabove, parts of the hull being broken away and the float rod being inbroken lines as it starts to be engaged by the catch and in full linesas it is substantially fully engaged.

FIG. 3 represents a front elevation of the catch and part of the floatrod in their initial engaged position, ofl positions of the catch beingindicated in broken lines.

FIG. 4 represents a detail horizontal section showing the constructionof the flexible tip on the catch.

FIG. 5 represents a detail plan view of an alternative form of flexibletip.

FIG. 6 represents a front elevation of a catch, showing a possiblealternative manner of installation.

FIG. 7 represents a diagrammatic plan view of the bow of a boat showingmooring catches installed at suitable points on both sides.

Referring to the drawings, the catch 1 is shown as being formed from astrong metal rod (e.g., stainless steel) and has a straight shankportion 2, an outwardly slanted portion 3 and an inwardly projectingreturn portion '4 parallel to the portion 3, the portions 3 and 4constituting an elongated hook. The aft end of the shank portion 2 isheaded as indicated at 5 and the tip of the portion 4 is beveled in avertical plane lying at about 30 from the axis of the portion 4, asshown at 6. Between the forward end of the shank portion 2 and the innerend of the portion 3 there is preferably provided a short outwardlyoffset portion 7. The beveled tip 6 is enclosed within a tapered helicalspring 8, preferably of stainless steel, which spring fits tightly butadjustably on the end of the portion 4 and projects inward a substantialdistance beyond the tip of said portion. An alternative form of springis shown in FIG.

3,fl83,76 Patented Apr. 2, 1963 5 where a flat leaf spring 13 is screwedor riveted to the portion 4, the screws or rivets passing through slots14 in the spring to permit adjustment of the distance by which thespring 13 projects beyond the tip 6.

The catch just described is designed to be mounted adjacent the rub rail9 (or in an equivalent position) and spaced a convenient distance fromthe bow, this distance depending somewhat on the size and shape of theboat and its foredeck. The position may also be determined so that theangle of the portions 3 and 4 forward and outward from a fore-and-aftline corresponds at least roughly to the angle of the adjacent part ofthe rail forward and inward from the same line, as indicated in FIG. 7.The catch may conveniently be secured to the boat hull as shown in FIG.2 by inserting between the rub rail 9 and the adjacent planking a pairof pinch clamp bearings 10, each having a cylindrical eye of a size togrip the catch shank 2 tightly when the clamp legs are drawn together asby a screw 11 passing through the rub rail and the clamp and into theplanking 12. One side of the clamp is preferably made flat and the clampeye is off center, so that the clamp can lie flat against the planking.Endwise sliding of the catch is prevented by the provision of afillister head screw in the portion 2 immediately back of the firstclamp. While installation of the mooring catch under the rub rail isgenerally desirable, there may be cases where it is more convenient toscrew the clamp bearings down to the edge of the deck in a horizontalposition, as indicated in FIG. 6; this permits the catch to swing fromits operation position through 180 inboard to its oif position flat onthe deck. In the normal installation (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) the catch swingsonly or slightly more between tis horizontally projecting operatingposition and its ofi position, down against the side of the hull.

The catch described above is designed to cooperate effectively with aspecial form of mooring float, particularly a light-weight float,ballasted to ride with a predetermined side upward and having a strongfiberglass rod 15 projecting upward to a height above the water greaterthat the height of the boats fore-deck when the boat is under slow way.At the top of the rod 15 is firmly fixed a retaining ball 16, thediameter of which should be substantially greater than the spacingbetween the parallel portions 3 and 4 of the catch.

It will be observed that engagement of the rod by the catch is ensuredby the fact that the projecting end of the spring 8 lies normally almostdirectly below the outer edge of the rub rail (see FIG. 3). Thus the rod15, standing practically vertical, can enter the catch only by bendingthe spring back out of the way (FIGS. 2, 4 and 5) and after the rod hascleared the end of the spring the latter snaps back to its normalposition and guides the rod easily into the slot between portions 3 and4 upon reversal of the direction of movement of the boat. The bevelingof the end 6 of portion 4 permits the spring 8 to bend easily inward,while outward bending is strongly resisted. In the case of the flatspring 13 a similar result is achieved by spacing the screws or rivetssome distance from the tip end of the portion 4.

In operation, the boat operator desiring to pick up his mooring swingsthe mooring catch (or catches, if the boat has two) out into operativeposition, this being done at any convenient time during the boatsapproach to its mooring. The operator then has only to maneuver the boatin such a way that the float rod will be engaged in the angle betweenthe catch and the edge of the foredeck as the boat slowly advances. Therod is automatically guided into the catch past the tapered spring 8,along the path indicated by arrows in FIG. 2. When the operator issatisfied that the rod has moved into the catch he can stop,

wardto pickcuphis mooring with the assurance that it is within easyreach. He need merely release the rod from the catch, lift up the floatand make fast his boat to the mooring in any manner for whichthe moon'ngmay be rigged;

While the mooring catch. is. designed; more particularly for use onpower boats, it: could also be used advantageously on some types ofsail-boats, particularly-those which are small and light enough to loseheadway quickly whenheadedinto the wind; or larger ones with: auxiliarypower.

I-t willrbeunderstood that variouschanges maybe made in the: form,construction and arrangement ofthe. severalpartswithout-=.departing,fron1 the spirit and: scope of; the invention.

What'I claim' is: V 1. Boat mooring apparatus comprisinga float,a-rodextending substantially vertically from said float to; a; heightabove-thelevel of the foredeck of aboat-t'o be moored, anenlargedretaining-member fixed to the top off; said rod; a: mooringcatch comprising a; strong metal rod shaped to form a straightshankportioma portionextending in operatiye'position substantiallyhorizontally'ont ward. and forward and a portion extending substantiallyhorizontally; inward and rearward from theouter end of; said: secondnamed portion and lying substantially parallel thereto at a distancegreater than the diameter of said first named rod but less than thediameter of the retaininng member, and fastening means cooperating withsaid shank portion to secure the catch adjustably to a boat hull.

2. Boat mooring apparatus according to claim 1 in which the fasteningmeans includes clamp bearings adapted to embrace the said shank portionand to be firmly fixed to a boat hull adjacent an edge of its foredeck.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS970,606; Boyle Sept. .20 1.910 1,25%7'1'4' Kis er V Feb. 2 6, 19181,221,404 Chambers Janf14; 1 919 1,391,729 Elliott; Apr; 21-, 1 9-31'1;92, 1-, 5o0; Blake Au 8, 1-933 8 352 R s k- Q 1 2,730,985' Wing ateJan; 17,:19 56v 1,754,792 air July 17; 19156 2,819,476 Dodge Ian-. 14,19581 2,3 9,797 d ox n- ,J,une 9; 195.9; 2,912,953 1 Qlsen A H 1 Nov.17,: 1959:. 2,912,954 Jensen; Nov. 17, 1 959 23943590 Anderson. July;5,1960} 2,956,531 Banker a V V Oct. 18, 1960

1. BOAT MOORING APPARATUS COMPRISING A FLOAT, A ROD EXTENDINGSUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY FROM SAID FLOAT TO A HEIGHT ABOVE THE LEVEL OFTHE FOREDECK OF A BOAT TO BE MOORED, AN ENLARGED RETAINING MEMBER FIXEDTO THE TOP OF SAID ROD, A MOORING CATCH COMPRISING A STRONG METAL RODSHAPED TO FORM A STRAIGHT SHANK PORTION, A PORTION EXTENDING INOPERATIVE POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY OUTWARD AND FORWARD AND APORTION EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY INWARD AND REARWARD FROMTHE OUTER END OF SAID SECOND NAMED PORTION AND LYING SUBSTANTIALLYPARALLEL THERETO AT A DISTANCE GREATER THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID FIRSTNAMED ROD BUT LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE RETAINING MEMBER, ANDFASTENING MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID SHANK PORTION TO SECURE THE CATCHADJUSTABLY TO A BOAT HULL.